Collision bumper device



- l 619,540 Marh 1 1927w` H, RADEMAEKERS, SR., ET AL 'COLLISION BUMPER DEVICE Filed Aug'. 28, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 1 1927. 1,619,540

w, H. RADEMAEKERS, SR., ET AL coLLI'sIoN BUMPER DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 192e 5 sheets-sheet 2 @4g/@im INVENTORS JMW f/JZWWS u ATTORNEYS.

March 1, 1927. y w. H. RADEMAEKERS. SR., ET Al- QOLLISION BUMPER DEVICE Filed Aug. 28, 1926 s sheets-sheet 17 Lgf M INVENToRs n QM 4 j- 4! C75/4 Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNI Di S All-ESn` .Y y 1,619,54u PATENT oFF/ice....v

WILLIAM H. RADEMARKERS, SR, AND WILLIAMl H.. RnDRMAEKR-Rs, JR., or NEWARK,

. NRW JERSEY. f y

GOLLISIONZBUMPER DEVICE.;

Applcationlcd August 28.1926. Serial No. 132,092.4

This invention relates to novel construc-A tions of derailing-collision bumper devicesl with which railroad locomotives and rollmgf7 stockunay be equipped; andthe invention has reference, more particularly, to coopera-V tive bumper devices adapted to be'respectively mounted on `the front ends of railway locomotives and on the rear end cars of railway trains, for the purpose of `deliectingy and :derailing locomotives which may meet in rear end collision with' preceding trains.

In the operation of railroad trains, accidents of thevrear end collision Vtype. are of more o1" less frequent occurrence, notwitlii standing the exercise ofthe most `careful train dispatching methods and control. Such. accidents usually entail considerable loss of life when occurring' in passenger service, as Well'as great property loss when occurring in freight service. The principal factor accounting for such losses of life and property'arisingyout of accidents'oit said rear end collision type lies in the fact that such collisions in the majority of. cases involve the telescoping of they cars ofv the train collided Withqby the collidinglocon'iotive, and this notwithstandingthe general use of steel cars in the passenger service. The telescoping effects vof such collisions also quite frequently result in deaths by SCaldingdue to escape of steam-from the colliding locomotive inV both passenger and it'reig'ht accidentsj as wellas in destructive tires in freight accidentsbyy which large amounts of freight are destroyed by burningin additionto Vsuch as may be destroyed by the direct effects-of vthe collision.

It is the object of the present invention to provide means, effective upon the occurrence of such collisions, whereby losses of both life'and property may be vgreatly minimized, if not altogether prevented; Tothis end our invention consists inv providing` cooperative collision bmnliierdevices, the menibers of which are respectively mounted and fixed, one on the frontend lof the locomotive, or electric engine as the case may be, and one `on the tail end of rear cars, cabooses or other types of rolling stock; said bumper devices being opera-tiveon mutual engagement and contactat the moment of collsion to lift and derail the colliding 4locomotive and *thereupon*shuntgturn or deflect the same from and lout oflin-e With the' cars ofthe, preceding'jtrain With which ,iticolge lides, so as topositively:pre'ventFany 'tele-v scoping invasion byy said'i colliding locom.o;: tive of the cars of said" preceding.:train:I

Other objects of this invention; not" at this time more Aparticularly enumerated; Will: be clearly understood from'thefollowing` detailed ldescription' of thesame.

iVith the objects of our present invention in vievv` the same-consists,primarily inn'the novel construction and arrangen'ientof''cd operati ve derailingf collisioni bumpers fhereinafter rset forti; and, furthermore; the invention yconsists in the i novel .arrangements and combinsfitions of' they rvarious devices and parts, as well as in thedetaifls otthe construction thereof; all of4 whichfi will` be hereinafter more fully i described 'in )the yfllowing'l specification; and then: iinally i embodied in the claims which are. appended thereto.

The inventionisclearly illustratedfinithe accompanying drawings7V in@ which Fignf l is a perspective viewloffthe .front end of a locomotive and the rearli endoff a preceding train shownfrespectively?equipped with the respective cooperative'. collision bumper vdevices made. according to and embodying the principles 1 ofi our present invention.

Fig. Q is ay diagramn'iatie plan 1 Viewv` of said cooperative collision bumper-devices as normally related respectivelyto thefront end of an*approaehin locomotive-and therear endlof a preceding train inthepath thereof; Fig.` 3 `lis asimilarvieW- showing said bumper-'devices at the n'ioment yoffcollidi'ng Contact; Fig. tis asimilar view showing the shuntingv or defiectingmovement ofthe locomotive bumper device relative to the rear end bumper Adevice ofsaid preceding train; and Fig, 5 shows the-conrpletion of the shuntlng 'or Vdeflectingieperation.- f V n Figp is a perspective viewY of th-e locoL motive bumperdevice; and Fig. T'is'a perspective view of the rear end bumper device for the vrearcar of a preceding' train.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic vertical cross section,A taken on line y8-8"in1Fip;Q3; vand Fig. 9 is asimilar view, taken vonline-949 in Fig. 4.

Figs. l0 and ll are respectively diagrammatic plan views of the respective cooperen tive collision bumper devices. modiiied to in'cliidefsai @natali-im* meansf and basing;

lll

lll

movable sections to expose said car coupling means for use; said movable sections being shown closed in these views, so that the oumper devices are operative in the event ot collision; Fig. 12 is a similarview of one bum per device showing the movable section opened to expose the car coupling means fog.' use; Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the bumper devices as arranged for car couplingD operation; Fig. 14 is a frag4 mentary perspective view ot the locomotive bumper device opened to expose its car coupling member; and Fig'. 15 is a similar fragmentary perspective view of the saine in closed condition. y

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinaliiovo described views, to indicate correspond g parts.

Referring,V now to said drawin" the ret"- erence character '1` indicates a railway locomotive7 and 2 the rails of the track upon which the same moves. The reference character 3 indicates a roar car of a train ahead of the locomotive on thefame track, such, for example, as a rear end observation car of a preceding,r passenger train. Rigidly mounted and secured in (IOllllGC- tion with thebody or frame of said locomdY tive 1, at the front end thereof` and at a level substantially correspd ding` to the level of the body frames of the railway cars or Vsimilar rolling stock, is a bumper head 4t extendingtransversely across said front end of the locomotive so as to project forwardly therefrom. The forward or free end of said bumper head et is formed to provide an oblique sheer face 5 extending` from the inner side of the locomotive forwardly and outwardly at a desired predetermined angle, which is preferably about forty-tive degrees relativeto the central longitudinal axis of the locomotive. Said .sheer face `5 is` of a length adapted to extend the same substantially outwardly beyond the central longitudinal axis of said locomotive. Coincident with the upper peripheral edge of said sheer face 5, and preferably integrally formed with said bumper head Lle, is an over shot shoulder or lip 6, the under surface which is Shaped tor form a` descending inclined plane extending rearwardly and downwardly from the outer lateral extremity or end of said .shoulder or lip (S to the inner lateral extremity or end thereof, said inclined ,lane 7 thus arovidinsr an elevatorplane for i O A purposes subsequently to be described.

Rigidly mounted and secured in connection with the body frame of a railway car, such, for example, as an observation our, pullman sleeper, passenger' coach1 freiggot car, Caboosenv or any other desired type ot railway rolling stock, is a rear end bumper member 8 extending;r transversely across the Vtail end of `such railway car so as to project rearwardly therefrom. The rear or free end of said bumper member 8 is formed to pro vide an oblique sheer face D extending.;l from the outer side of the car rearwardly and inwardly at a desired predetermined angle,

which is preferably about forty live degrees relative to the central longitudinal axis ot vl0, the upper surface of which is shaped to forni an miren/ding inclined plane 11 extending` forwardly and upwardly from Vthe inner lateral extremity or end ofsaid shoulder or lip 10 to the outer lateral extremity or end thereof, said inclined plane l1 thus provid-- ingi a liftinp` plane for purposes subsequent-Y ly to be described.

The respective bumper head fl and buml'icr member 8 are made of substai'itial thicliuef or height, and are so connected respective M with the locomotive and with thegrailway car as to occupy corresponding levels relative to the road-bed or track ilj whereby in loperation the same are opposed one `to the other for mutual cooperation, lt will also be understood that any desired character and method of construction may be employed to rigidly and lstrongly buildrsaid bunfiperxhzn vices respectively into the locomotive and railway car structures so as to operatively incorporate the same therewith.

In making use ot' said bumper devices in practice, each locomotive in regular service will be equipped with a bumper head 4l, and in making up either iiassenger or freight trains, the rear car ot'leach such train will be equipped Yat its tail end with a bumper member S. i

ln operation7 if in the movement of trains equipped with our above described cooperay tive collision bumper devices, the locon'iolive of a followiima train should collide withA a preceding train, the bumper head l of such locomotive would be brought into engagement with the bumpermemberi of the rear car of such preceding` train. y l'nasmuch. as the sheer Lfaces of said resliective bumper devices extend respectively in opposite `di`` rections beyond the central longitudinil` axes of the respective trains, the respective sheer faces 5 and 9 will overlap each other at the moment of contact (see Figi. Since; howeverw the sheer tace 5 of the bumper head l extends from the inner side outwardly beyond the central longitudinal axes of the trains, and the sheer face 9 ot the bumper member 8 extends from a point inwardly of the central longitudinal axes of the trains outwardly toward the outer side thereof, continued forward movement of the colliding locomotive relative to-the rear end of the lll!) i'iieceding train :will cause thelsheer tace 5 oit `the fori'ner to ride outwardly on the sheer i'ace 9 ot the lattcr, .thus tending` to laterally deflectthe forward movement of said locon'iotive outwardly and aiiayifrom saidrear end ot saidprecedinp; ytrain `(see Figs. 4 and 5). In addition to this sheerinpf or deflectingmovement, and i11`` aid thereof, the eleyator planeet the locomotivebumper head' 4, will 'tend toride upwardly on the lifting plane 11 of the rear end bumper 8. The ef-A 'i'cctoii the'cooperativc action oi said elevator .and lii'tingplancsis two-fold; tiret, it tenus, byl imposing ythe weight o the` 'locomotive on the rear eud bumper member 8, to hold the rear car ofthe precedingY train down upon thc rails 2, and, secondly, bylitting the fore end of the locomotive, it causes the ilangesfottlie wheelsv of its pilot truck to beliitted clear of the rails so as to oder no impedance to 'the lateral deflecting; or sheering aside of the locomotive,`whereby the sameis both derailed and turned aside trom the pathof saidpreceding` train (see Fig-5, 8 land 9). It will be" understood. that the ifor'ceot1 thecollision in itselfwill be suitt cient to cause the cooperative movcnicntot the locomotive bumper head el. relative to the rear end bumper member 8, whereby both the derailingfand the shunting or deflecting of thecolliding locomotive is induced'.

As Vwill beevident, the derailing and shuntingl or detiecting of the locomotive will prevcnt the latter from plowing'directly into the preceding train with the 'telescopingaction so commonly ,accompanying accidents ot therear end collision type, and consequently the highly destructivel effects both upon lite and property which are attendant on such telescopingfaction is positively prevented. It is calculated thatloss oflife and property consequent upon rear end collision accidents, may, in all probability, bc reducedtothe extent otseventy-ive pei-'cent vor more the use ot anti-telescopingz,r collision bumpers such as our above-described' invention provides. VBy thus eliminatin'glosses 'of lite and property, the use" ot our invention will therefore tend to greatly lessenv financial losses in railway operation by redi'icin'gtlic amount ot damage claims arising 'out ot rcar cud collisi'on and similar accidents.`

Inthe illustration ot the above-described bumper devices, the bumper head. 4t is obliquely andrea wardlylcut away onits outer side, as at 12; and the bumper member 8 is vobliquely and forwardly' cut away on its inner side, as at 13. Such arrangement, while `not absolutelyessential, is preferable since it reduces the extent of projection of'therespective devices within desired minimum liinits,fbesides'effecting a saving in weight and bulk, and thus economizingfthe cost of production. l n

yReferring now to? Figs; '10 to 15 of the accompaiiyingiV drawings,'jwe have shown a form oit our novel antitelescoping"collision bumpers, modiiied" to {include any standard type of 'carcouplingdevices. In such modified form, the bumper -head'4`is provided with a. movable section 4 at its free extrem# ity, which is i preferably connected to vthe main body portion 'by' a suitable hinge con` nectioii 14." Said :movable secticn' 4" is provided with a suitable keeper flangel imovyable into a 'corresponding seat 16 of the main Abody portion, when the movable section is in 'closcd'relati'on tothe later; in like man'- nei, the ,portionv oi' the shoulder or lip 6 sprin'pingnfrom the ,movable section 4 is provided `with-a"tongiie` member 17 adapted to interlock with a socket or'recess 18 formed in 'theinainbody portion when the movable sectionis in closed relation vto the latter.`

tachable lock-pins 21, which are "preferablyconnected against loss by flexible connections 22 'anchored-'to said main .'body portionwll.V

Secvuredto"saidmainlbody portion 4, .to

project" from `the end 'face thereof rvwhichV is exposed by" the movement of said1 movable section to open position (see Fig.' 12),'is` any suitable*v tor-mifrot car coupling: devicel 23.

The rear or meeting'facefoffsaidfmovable section Ll isprovidedf with a cavity 24'to receive `thel pr'oj ecting coupling ,device when said `movable"section 4: is in normal 'closed position.'`

As shown in' Fig: 11,' the rear end bumper member'S 'may be provided with a similarly constructed hinged movable section 8', which maybe l'similarly opened to expose for use a suitablecar coupling device 25 secured to and projecting-from the end face-thereof, as shown in Fig'. 13 also.

In Fig 13 illustration is madeol the inanner in which,` upon the opening' ot' their respective Iniovable' sections 4, and S', the coupling: devices and 25 ot the respective modified bumper head 4' and bumper member 8 may be-mutually interengaged to couple a locomotive and car respectively equipped therewith. It will also be understood, that the locomotivebumper' head 4, modified as above described, makes it possible to couple the saine with any car havingr corresponding coupling means, v vhetherv equipped Vwith the rear end bumper vmember 8 or not.

In the accompanying drawings ive-have Vshown and in `the above specification `have described our invention in preferred forms and by way of example, but obviously many alterationsV and variations rmay be made therein which will still be comprised within its spirit. Generally speaking, therefore, we desire it understood that we do not limit ourselves to any specific form or embodiment of our present invention, except in so far as may be required by the scope of 'the follo\v ing elainn. i n

Having thus described our invention, we claim 51. Cooperative collision bumper 'deviccru respectively for connection withthe forward end of locomotives and the rear end cars of railway trains, comprising a locomotive bumper having'at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining forwardly and outwardly from its inner side, a rear car bumper having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining rearwardly and inwardly from its outer side, an under shot shoulder bordering the lower margin of said latter sheer face, lthe upper surface of said shoulder being formed to provide any outwardly ascending-inclined plane, and said locomotive bumper havingr means to engage and ride Aupwardly on said inclined plane when the Sheer faces of said respective bumpers operatively engage. i

Y2. Cooperative collision huu'ipers, respectively for connection with the forward end of locomotives and the rear end cars of railway trains, comprising a locomotive bumper having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining forwardly and outwardly from its inner side, a vrear car bumper having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face iucliningrearwardly ,and

inwardly from its outer side, an under shot shoulder bordering the lower margin of said latter sheer ii ce the upper Surface of said shoulder being formed to provide an outwardly ascending 'inclined plane, and said locomotive bumper having an over shot shoulder borderiugthe upper margin of its `sheerV face, the under surface of said latter shoulder being formed to provide a reverse inclined plane cooperative with the ascend ing inclined plane of said rear carbumper.

3'. Cooperative collision bumper devices, respectively for connection with the forward end of locomotives andthe .rear end cars of railway trains, comprising a locomotive bumper having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining forwardly and outwardly from the inner side of the locomotive `to a point appreciably beyondV wardly and outwardly toward the outer side of the latter, said rear car bumper having a rearwardly projecting shoulder bordering the lower margin of its sheer face and shaped ou its upper side to provide an inclined plane ascending from the inner end of said sheer face toward the outer end thereof, and means bordering the upper margin of said locomotive bumper sheer face to cooperate with said inclined plane.

fi.. Cooperative collision bumper devices, respectively for connection with the forward end of locou'iotives and the rear end cars of railway trains, comprising a locomotive bumper having at its free Aend a transversely oblique sheer face inclining forwardly and outwardly from the inner side of the locomotive te a point appreciablybeyond its central longitudinal axis, a rear car bumper having` at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face of corresponding angle inclining from a point inwardly spaced from the `central longitudinal axis of the car forwardly and outwardly toward the outer side of the latter, said rear car bumper having a rear- .iardly proiecting shoulder bordering the Vlower margin of its sheer face and shaped on its upper side to provide an inclined plane ascending from the inner end of said sheer face toward the outer end thereof, and said locomotive bumper having a forwardly prow iecting shoulder bordering the upper inargin of its sheer fac-sand shaped on its under side to provide an inclinedfplanc-i dcscending from the outer end of said sheer face toward theA inner end thereof, all for the purposes described. i Y

5. An antiftelescoping collision. bumper for connection with the forward ends of railway locomotives, comprisingr a forwardly projecting biunper head, said bumper head having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining forwardly and outwardly from the inner side of the locomotive to ward the outer side thereof, and said bumper head having a forwardly projecting shoulder bordering the upper margin of its sheer face and shaped on its under side to provide an inclined plane decsending from the outer end of said sheer `face toward the inner end thereof. i i i 6. An anti-telescoping collision bumper for connection with the tail ends 'of rail way cars, comprising a rearwardly projectlee having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining forwardly and outwardly from the inner side of the car toward the outer side thereof, and said bumper member having a rearwardly projecting shoulder bordering the lower margin of its sheer face and shaped on its upper side to provide an inclined plane ascending from the inner end of said sheer face toward the outer end thereof.

7. An anti-telescoping collision bumper for connection with the forward ends of railway locomotives, comprising a forwardly projecting bumper head, said bumper head having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining` forwardly and out-wardly from the inner side of the locomotive toward the outer side thereof, the outer extremity of said bumper being formed to provide a movable section, means to hinge said movable section to the main body of said bumper, means to secure said movable section in normal closed position relative to said main body, and a car coupling means connected with said main body so as to be concealed when said movable section is closed but exposed for use when the latter is opened.

8. An anti-telescoping collision bumper as set forth in claim 5, in which the. outer extremity of the bumper is formed to provide a movable section, means to hinge said movable section to the main body of said bumper, means to secure said movable section in normal closed position relative to said main body, and a car coupling means connected with said main body so as to be concealed when said movable section is closed but exposed for use when the latter is opened.

9. An anti-telescoping collision bumper for connection with thev tail ends of railway cars, comprising a rearwardly projecting bumper member, said bumper member having at its free end a transversely oblique sheer face inclining forwardly and outwardly from the inner side of the car toward the outer side thereof, the outer extremity of said bumper being formed to provide a movable section, means to hinge said movable section to the main body of said bumper, means to secure said movable section in normal closed position relative to said main body, and a car coupling means connected with said main body so as to be concealed when said movable section is closed but exposed for use when the latter is opened.

l0. An anti-telescoping collison bumper` as set forth in claim 6, in which the outer extremity of the bumper is formed to provide a movable section7 mea-ns to hinge said movable section to the main body of said bumper, means to secure said movable section in normal closed position relative to said main body, and a car coupling means connected with said main body so as to be concealed when said movable section is closed but exposed for use when the latter is opened.

In testimony, that We claim the invention set forth above we have hereunto set our hands this 27th day of August 1926.

WILLIAM H. RADEMAEKERS, SR. VILLIAM H. RADEMAEKERS, JR. 

